Major League Baseball Players Help Raise Thousands for Children in Need

Public Relations & Media Relations by D. Plump Consulting

ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) and The Eddie Guardado Foundation (EGF), two national non-profit organizations based in Southern California, announce their STARS & STRIKES Celebrity Bowling Tournament, benefiting children with autism, raised $130,000. The event was held on January 29, 2012 at Bowlmor Lanes in Tustin, California. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to provide resources and grants to children with autism whose families cannot afford the necessary care and treatment their children need to reach their full potential.

Former Ducks Player Todd Marchant and his wife, Caroline, Eddie and Lisa Guardado and Bret Saberhagen with Bill Cernius, Dan Carney

"My wife Lisa and I are touched that so many ball players and celebrities joined us in to support of our mission of helping children with autism receive the care and treatment they need,." says Eddie Guardado, 2-Time Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star and ACT Today! board member. "Thanks to them and the many sponsors and event attendees, we will be able to serve many more children this year."

Lisa Guardado and daughter Ava with ACT Today!'s Executive Director Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 110 children in America is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making ASD more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, pediatric cancer and childhood AIDS combined. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett Syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger’s Syndrome. ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances.

Torii Hunter, Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh and Howie Kendrick

The fundraiser was attended by more than 400 guests, including celebrities 2-Time All-Star Pitcher "Everyday Eddie" Guardado, world-renowned autism expert Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh, LA Angels of Anaheim 4-Time All-Star Torii Hunter, Texas Rangers 6-Time All-Star Michael Young, Texas Rangers 2-Time All-Star Adrian Beltre, LA Angels of Anaheim 3-Time All-Star Vernon Wells, 3-Time All-Star Garret Anderson, LA Angels of Anaheim Howie Kendrick, Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Pitcher J.J. Putz, LA Angels of Anaheim LaTroy Hawkins, Former MLB Player and Radio Personality Rex Hudler, 4-Time All-Star Troy Percival, All-Star Pitcher Jamie Moyer, Cincinnati Reds Carlos Fisher, St. Louis Cardinals Brad Thompson, Former MLB Player Adam Melhuse, 2-Time All-Star Pitcher Aaron Sele, All-Star Pitcher Chad Cordero, Texas Rangers Coach and Former MLB Player Gary Pettis, 3-Time All-Star Pitcher Bret Saberhagen, Former NHL Player Todd Marchant, Former MLB player Denny Hocking, Chicago Cubs Darwin Barney, Chicago Cubs Ty Wright, Former MLB Infielder Chris Gomez, actress Sasha Pieterse (“Pretty Little Liars”), actress Musetta Vander, On-Air Radio Personality Lisa Foxx, and actress Erin Murphy.

Eddie and actress Sasha Pieterse

Events such as the Eddie Guardado’s STARS & STRIKES bowling tournament allow ACT Today! to raise essential funds to provide grants for families in desperate need of care and treatment. In the past year, ACT Today! has distributed $434,000 in grants to families.

Vernon Wells signing autographs

ACT Today!: ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and funding to families of children with autism who cannot afford or access the necessary tools their children need to reach their full potential. For more information about ACT Today!, visit: www.act-today.org.

About The Eddie Guardado Foundation: The Eddie Guardado Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 2008 after the Guardado’s daughter was diagnosed with autism. In January 2011, the foundation merged with ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) as both non-profits organizations share the mission of providing awareness of and access to effective therapies for children with autism. Eddie and Lisa and Eddie Guardado now serve on the ACT Today! board of directors. For more information about the Eddie Guardado Foundation, visit: www.eddieguardadofoundation.org.